NEW: Authorities suspend search for missing Coventry woman

Bianca Buono

bbuono@abc6.com

@BBuonoABC6

After four days of searching Arcadia Management Area, authorities have suspended the search of 59-year-old Patti Pendleton and her two small dogs.

The Coventry woman went missing after she went for a hike there on Monday. Since then, a massive search effort has been underway.

Officials were searching once again on Friday. In a media briefing Thursday afternoon, they said if they don’t locate Pendleton after the fourth day, they will assess whether or not they will continue with the large search effort. In an interview with ABC6, Pendleton’s son, Mike, said he would search into the night and has no plans of stopping.

"How long will you continue to search?” a reporter asked.

“Until I find her. She’s here,” Mike Pendleton answered.

Pendleton was emotional, but determined, after three days of searching for his mother.

"I’m very hopeful. My mom is a single mom and we grew up hiking and camping. She’s got the skill set. She knows what she’s doing,” he said.

He said there was nothing strange about his mother setting out for a hike on Monday at Arcadia with her two small dogs. In fact, it was routine.

"She’s been hiking these woods, I mean she grew up here so 50 years she’s been in and out of these woods. She knows the area,” Pendleton said.

On Thursday, the massive search effort continued with helicopters in the sky and more than a hundred people scouring the 16,000 acre property.

Police say conditions are extremely tough and their optimism is dwindling as time goes by. They expressed concern over a drop in temperature Thursday night.

"It’s starting to, uh, become a situation where, you know, it’s getting a little bit dire. We try to be optimistic and we’re trying to keep our searchers optimistic but we’re getting to that point,” said Corporal Scott Carlsten of Rhode Island State Police.

Officials say they recovered a pair of prescription glasses on a trail on Wednesday and believe they belong to Patti. Other than that, they haven’t found anything. They’ve searched more than 700 acres of land and will branch out even further on Friday. They told reporters they are still confident that Patti is somewhere in the woods.

"We’re not going to give up,” Pendleton said.

Officials ask that any volunteers show up on Friday between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. They also must check in at D.E.M. headquarters at the park located on Arcadia Road before beginning their search. If not, the K9s being used may become confused.

© WLNE-TV 2016